What This Document Is
This document is a student exploration sheet designed to accompany the “Fan Cart Physics” Gizmo, an interactive simulation from ExploreLearning. It’s part of a Conceptual Physics (PHYS 100) course at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, and focuses on applying Newton’s Laws of Motion to a real-world scenario. The sheet guides students through a series of observations and questions while they manipulate variables within the Gizmo.
Why This Document Matters
This exploration is valuable for students learning introductory physics, particularly those grappling with the abstract concepts of force, mass, acceleration, and inertia. It’s used as a hands-on activity to reinforce theoretical understanding of Newton’s First, Second, and Third Laws. Students benefit from visually experiencing these laws in action, rather than solely relying on equations or lectures. It’s typically used early in a unit on motion and forces.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This document, and the Gizmo itself, provides a simplified model of physics. It eliminates factors like air resistance and friction (though friction can be added in later explorations). Students should understand that real-world scenarios are often more complex. This exploration sheet doesn’t *teach* Newton’s Laws; it assumes some prior knowledge and aims to solidify understanding through experimentation. It also doesn’t provide detailed mathematical derivations or complex problem-solving strategies.
What This Document Provides
This document includes:
* Prior Knowledge Questions to activate initial thinking about force and motion.
* Step-by-step instructions for using the Fan Cart Physics Gizmo.
* Guided questions and prompts to encourage observation and analysis of the simulation.
* Activities specifically designed to illustrate Newton’s First and Second Laws.
* Space for students to record their hypotheses, predictions, and experimental results.
* References to key vocabulary terms: acceleration, force, friction, mass, newton, Newton's first law, Newton’s second law, Newton’s third law, velocity.
This preview *does not* include the answers to the questions, the results of the Gizmo experiments, or a complete explanation of Newton’s Laws. It only provides a glimpse into the structure and purpose of the student exploration.